HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtaş spoke at a rally in Mersin that went ahead in defiance of the synchronized bomb attacks on his party’s bureaus in Mersin and Adana: ‘We will approach other political parties with feelings of fraternity in order to render this provocation void’
4 people were injured in the simultaneous bomb attacks that targeted HDP offices in Mersin and Adana.
The rally that had already been scheduled for Mersin went ahead in defiance of the attack. Demirtaş described the attacks as a ‘massacre attempt’ and said ‘Our one and only answer to provocations is peace’.
Demirtaş also responded to President Erdoğan, who in a rally held in Samsun yesterday described the HDP as ‘a political organization controlled by a terror organization’ stating, “I call out to the one who has sent us a message via the Mersin and Adana attacks: we have received your message. This is our answer: We still won’t allow you to become President”.
Key statements from Demirtaş’s speeches were as follows:
“They tried similar acts of provocation in Ağrı and Diyadin. They sought to have soldier funerals held in all corners of Turkey. Their goal was to create a massive atmosphere of violence, a wave of anger in order to block the HDP’s activities.”
“God protected us, and no funerals are going to be held in Adana or Mersin as a result of today’s attacks. Their goal was to create animosity between Turks and Kurds. They attempted an ugly operation in order to let fear and anger rule the streets.”
“Peace in this country is more important than the election ballot, or a seat in office”
“On June 8, the day after the election, we will continue to live together. We will look each other in the eye. The only way to render such acts of provocation void is to look at them with love when you see members of the AKP, CHP or MHP. Only feelings of fraternity will render such acts of provocation void. None of these political parties are our enemies. That’s how they want it to be. We will not let that happen. Our greatest achievement will be peace. Peace in this country is more valuable than the election ballot, a seat in office, or in parliament, and my own life.”
“They may or may not vote for us, we respect that. Every human being possesses an intellect and a conscience; we respect that. Those who try to win votes by striking fear through acts of provocation are those who are driving this country towards disaster. Our answer to those who seek to establish their own sultanate, both inside and outside the country, including first and foremost Syria, is peace. We will not stray from the path of freedom and democracy, equality and justice.”
“What we need for the writing of a new constitution is peace and stability. Our greatest promise is lasting peace.”
“Erdoğan calls us a terror organization, yet says nothing about ISIS”
“The conditions in Syria are heartrending. There is no hope as to when it will improve. The AKP government runs a policy of warmongering. If they gain the power they seek at the elections, then they will drive the country into the quagmire of war.”
“ISIS is the most barbarous organization in the world today. They are making way into Syria and Iraq. As it gains strength there, ISIS will set its sights on Turkey. If it weren’t for the HDP’s policy that holds identities and faiths together on the basis of equal citizenship, ISIS militants would be running wild in Adana, Mersin and Antep. They insult the HDP in every way. The President declares the HDP to be a terror organization, but he is unable to speak out against ISIS. Those who collaborate with ISIS cannot teach us about democracy, or what it means to be human.”
